ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Nine Southern Illinois football players were named to the Missouri Valley Football Conference's All-Conference teams, the league announced Monday. Bryan Boemer (Offensive Line), Mike McElroy (Safety) and Steve Strother (Return Specialist) were named first-team All-MVFC, marking the eighth time in the last nine years that at least three Salukis made the All-Conference first team.

Bryan Boemer, a preseason All-American at center, earned first-team honors for the second straight year. He was a second-team All-Conference selection as a sophomore in 2009. In 2011, Boemer posted a 93% blocking percentage and didn't give up a sack all year. He blocked for seven 200-yard rushing games.

Mike McElroy earned his second first-team All-Conference nod at safety. McElroy led the team with four interceptions in 2011, giving him 15 for his career, which is third in school history. McElroy posted two two-interception games. In the season finale at Indiana State, McElroy returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown--the only defensive score SIU had this year. He picked off his second pass of the game on the one yard line with less than a minute remaining to secure the Saluki win.

Steve Strother earned the first-team nod as a return specialist. Strother led the conference in kick return average by more than three yards per return. He had seven returns of 35 yards or longer. He ended the season with 746 kickoff return yards in 2011, just 10 shy of the single-season school record set by Craig Turner in 2007. Strother has 1,167 career kickoff return yards, already fourth in school history. He needs 506 yards in 2012 to break the school career record of 1,672, held by Billy Swain.

Jewel Hampton earned second-team All-Conference honors in his first season for SIU. Hampton had six 100-yard rushing games and led the Valley and was fifth in the nation with 17 touchdowns. He was twice named MVFC Newcomer of the Week during the season and earned MVFC Newcomer of the Year honors after the season.

David Pickard was named to the All-Conference team for the third time in his career. He was a first-team honoree in 2009 and a second-team member in 2010 and 2011. The senior posted a 93% blocking percentage and didn't give up a sack all season. He blocked for seven 200-yard rushing games.

Kayon Swanson earned honorable mention All-Conference accolades for the first time in his career. The junior led the team with 52 tackles and was second on the team with 4.0 sacks. He was named National Defensive Player of the Week by College Football Performance Awards and Beyond Sports Network after setting career highs with eight tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks against Ole Miss.

Kenneth Boatright earned honorable mention All-Conference in his first season on the field with Southern Illinois. Boatright led the team with 6.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss. His 13.5 TFLs ranked fourth in the conference, and Boatright was second on the team with 51 tackles. He recorded a tackle for loss in eight of the last nine games. He came on strong at the end of the season, recording 7.5 tackles for loss in the last three games of the season.

Jackson MacLachlan, a redshirt freshman, kicked the game-winning field goal with less than a minute remaining against Missouri State. The kick earned him MVFC Newcomer of the Week honors. MacLachlan was third in the conference with nine made field goals, and he hit eight of 10 attempts from longer than 30 yards.

MyCole Pruitt, another redshirt freshman, led the team in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. He caught at least three passes in the last eight games of the year. Pruitt averaged five receptions and 62 yards per game in the last eight games of the year. He was eighth in the conference in receiving yards per game.

The MVFC All Newcomer Team will be announced tomorrow, and the MVFC All-Academic teams will be announced Wednesday.